Apple won big in California today as a federal court jury awarded the company $1.05 billion in damages after ruling Samsung infringed on six of Apple’s patents.

The damages awarded to Apple fall short of the company’s requested $2.5 billion, but still rank as one of the largest intellectual-property awards ever recorded. Also, the jury found that Apple did not violate any of the patents Samsung presented at the trial, a stark contrast to a decision made by a trio of Judges in South Korea yesterday that found Samsung and Apple products both banned in the country.

After 22 hours of deliberation spanning three days the jury found that Samsung infringed on six of the seven patents Apple presented and found willful infringement by Samsung in five cases (this can influence the severity of damages). The lone patent the jury found invalid was a patent covering the physical design of the iPad.

The quick turnaround, and decision in Apple’s favor mark a brief end to a month long patent trial argued on a worldwide stage. The decision is purely monetary however, and none of Samsung’s current products will be taken off store shelves or banned from sale. Still, expect Samsung to file an appeal immediately.

*Update*ModMyi user Tal1995 caught an interesting bit of info in Yahoo news' coverage of the verdict. Apparently there still is the possibility of Samsung's products being banned. Judge Lucy Koh will make that decision without the help of jury and the fact Koh approved a preliminary injunction earlier on during the proceedings should make Samsung rather nervous.

While it is impossible to know what the jury’s thoughts during deliberation were at the current time, Apple frequently references a document entitled “Relative Evaluation Report on S1, iPhone,” dated March 2, 2010. The document compared a number of features between the two phones and included a section entitled “directions for improvement” which entailed mimicking many features of the iPhone.

Samsung argued that being inspired by your competitors isn’t illegal, and provided photos and emails containing early tablet-like products in an attempt to have one of Apple’s design patents thrown out. Interestingly enough, the only patent the jury found Samsung didn’t violate was the iPad design patent.

Apple won a single legal battle in the current patent war that may ultimately financially insignificant after the appeals process. But, the positive press, continued strain on Samsung’s legal team, and the message the verdict sends to competitors likely outweighs any damages awarded.

And to the poster that wants to change patent laws... I highly suggest you read up on the subject. Contrary to popular belief patents don't last forever. They are supposed to be descriptive, allowing others to innovate and improve upon them. At the same time, there are there to protect the inventor and give them a short term monopoly. Yes, you read that right, I said monopoly. On the flip side, many people don't file for patents because they aren't free. If you don't have plenty of money sitting around to defend your patent in court (if there's money to be made, it will be copied) there's not much reason to apply for the patent in the first place.

And to the poster that wants to change patent laws... I highly suggest you read up on the subject. Contrary to popular belief patents don't last forever. They are supposed to be descriptive, allowing others to innovate and improve upon them. At the same time, there are there to protect the inventor and give them a short term monopoly. Yes, you read that right, I said monopoly. On the flip side, many people don't file for patents because they aren't free. If you don't have plenty of money sitting around to defend your patent in court (if there's money to be made, it will be copied) there's not much reason to apply for the patent in the first place.

Patents were supposed to be for the purpose of encouraging inventors to create clever gadgets and share them with the world. The ways in which the concept of "patent" has been extended over the last 30 years, result in many patents being awarded for "inventions" that would never have passed muster, due to the USPTO being deliberately underfunded and simultaneously swamped.

The basic legal frameworks haven't changed, but are being abused horribly.
The notion that a company can file thousands of filmsy and trivial patents on every conceivable iteration of an idea,and then sit on those and wait for someone else to independently develop the same idea, and create an actual real-world implementation of it, then sue the "infringing" developers to death, is roughly the opposite of what patents were originally intended to be.

Some of those who "want to change patent law" merely want to sharpen existing laws to restore and preserve their intent and purpose. And some.... just want to see USPTO properly funded and staffed, and allowed to do their job.

I need to add what has obviously not been said. This situation is not black-and-white as many of you believe.
As a patent holder I have ideas that seem fairly general, but because they can be game changers they were patent-able.
Now that being said, if a company uses one of my patents in their product knowingly or un-knowingly, the first line is to let them know, offer them a fair, negotiated license to use my ideas, commonly 2 percent of net or less. If the company refuses they have two choices, cease and desist, or go to court for a fight.
I have a feeling that Apple, in all logical sense (I may be wrong here) offered to let Samsung license their ideas, negotiations broke down and now the court system had to be involved.

In my opinion both company's take ideas from each other. I think the whole thing is bull.

I'm sure this verdict came in after both sides accused each other of patent infringement. In a way both got charged for stuff they lifted. Samsung lifted more ideas than apple. i guess.

Originally Posted by Lohand

Apple can never win against Samsung as long as they rely on them for chip sets. Hey Samsung Industries, just "goose" the costs of said chip sets to off-set any potential payout that's all. Oh and make sure to lock down those flexible display patents for the next generation of mobile devices. And just think, the mobile handset maker crowd was such a happy go lucky bunch until the fruit N0bs showed up. Sayin...

Unfortunately they can't do that. Samsung might just lose all that money it makes on displays to sony or panasonic. worst case... apple starts its own facility (easy with a 1 billion dollar investment)

Ok last time I'm posting on this. Look to everyone who keeps screaming "bbbut Samsuck copied Apple(who does no wrong)". How about u look at what apple has done. They have been copying people for years, just cuz no one sued em don't mean they invented everything. They actually got busted for this exact thing years ago.

Now about this, yes apple won and rightfully so. Samsung did copy the overall design of the iPhone. However, this was a majorly biased trial/case. We know the judge has a hardon for apple. Allowing apple to pick and choose certain things to show and not to show. In these cases your supposed to show everything. Samsung got denied to show some of their evidence. Would it have mattered no. Bottom line, let's all move on now. Let's talk about how much Justin bieber sucks!

Apple products I owned were iPhone 2G, 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, iPad, iPad 2, and ATV2. I've jailbroke different versions for friends also and unlocked a few too. Look at my stats I've been around for a while now so why would I lie about what I've had? They were good if jailbroke that's the only way you could do much with them. I had the iPad 2 before the jailbreak was out and it sucked really so I didn't use it until that jailbreak came out. Yeah it's been a while but I can't see myself ever going to an iPhone even if it does ever go to T-Mobile for their 3G anyway.

Saying you did not own all these things is childish. You can double the phones because my wife has always updated at the same time as me. And add 2 Apple computers and are list are about the same. I just purchased the Samsung S3 and AT THIS POINT it blows away the Apple phones I have. Like you said, you can do so many things I had to jailbreak my iPhones to get them to do. And they acctually have Apps that are free on the market that give you some of the other features you may want but would have to jailbreak for. In my case does this mean I will not have another iPhone, I would not go that far. My wife is waiting to see what the next iPhone has to offer.

What I would suggest to anyone that is just a gadget geek and not a fanboy of either phone line is wait till you get a firm date for the next iPhone and get the Galaxy S3 two weeks earlier. That way you will either keep it or give it back for the next iphone. Either way you will not blindly comment on Samsung(Android) without experience. It does take a few days to get used to the OS after 6 years of the iphone OS.

I love the Galaxy S3, you may not. Take advantage of the trial period. And I still use all my Apple programs, contacts, calendar, mail even itunes. You just have to get a few inexpensive apps to due this. Some are even free.

The beauty of these two companies going at it is that these phones can do amazing things because of competition.